Paselk sat down for a Q&A to answer questions about lawn care and landscaping.
Is it too late in the year to begin planting?
It’s never too late to plant. Spring is a moving target every year, as is fall and winter. You can plant whenever you want to as long as the plant has sunlight. The problem is you may or may not be allowed to water those plants enough to get them going. It just depends on when you’re going to plant and what your municipalities are gonna allow for.
When is the best time to water lawns?
Most suggestions are going to be watering your lawn in the late evenings. They suggest that you start watering certain grasses around 11-12 o’clock at night. Some are as late as 2 a.m., and then some are as early in the morning as 4 a.m., but it should never be during the heat of the day.
How does a homeowner know when they need to call a professional?
Everybody enjoys working outside to an extent, but if you know that you’re a person that may or may not get to the maintenance of your house, it makes all the sense in the world to hire somebody professional. Your yards need to be cut, at the minimum, [every other week].
What should residents look for in a landscaper or lawn professional?
It’s always good to consult your garden center, any plant nursery or your local landscaper, and just try to find somebody that’s not just your guy that comes out and mows. See somebody who deals with this day in and day out.
What are some less obvious benefits of someone maintaining their own yard?
Taking care of a yard is therapeutic. People forget the value of actually getting out and working on your own property. It may be a little bit hard but, in addition to the physical benefits of having a good-looking yard, there are mental benefits of just escaping your regular life during the work week.
Any advice for people in the yard for the first time, or for someone deciding on a landscaping project?
I think a homeowner should always call a professional. You have nothing to lose unless that professional is going to charge for the advice. When you think about the landscaping of your house, you’re talking about everything from gutters on down. You may or may not have the budget to do [everything] right now, but you compartmentalize and say you don’t want to do the back corner, and we’re going to do this patio. Then you start working toward the home of your dreams.
